DESCRIPTION:
A heavy-bodied, almost smooth-skinned frog without a thick ridge running down each side of the back. Green to blackish on back with dark mottling. The belly is whitish to yellowish, often with dark mottling.

FACTS:

The green color is due to blue pigment in the skin covered by a thin layer of yellow mucus. Many color variations are known, including white, bright yellow, bright blue, and black and white.

The species was named for colonial American naturalist Mark Catesby.

YOUNG:
Breeds from about March through July or August. Males have much larger eardrums (tympana) than females and give a “jug-o-rum” call at night. Females lay 10,000 to 20,000 eggs in a vast mat on the surface of the water. Tadpoles take 6 months to 2 years to mature. Froglets may be over 2 inches long when leaving the water. Has lived over 7 years.

STATUS:
As a commercial species it can be taken only during specific seasons and with legal methods. Common in Louisiana.